Vidura Neethi

A Wise Person is one who

• Does not deviate from the higher goals of life (Serving Perumal with Love is the higest goal)
• Sticks on (adherence) to dharma
• Actions are not obstructed by cold, heat, fear, love, Wealth or poverty
• Does not worry over what is lost
• Takes up a task with firm commitment and does not take long rests before the task is accomplished
• Who has control over their mind
• Does not rejoice when honored, does not become dejected when dishonored
• Even after acquiring great wealth, learning or Power (control over others) goes about his job without being proud of their status

A Fool is one who

• Makes the enemy their friend, hurts their friend and always engages in wrongful activity
• spreads out their actions, entertains doubts about everything and takes a long time for actions which should be done with the utmost urgency
• Cannot control their anger and instead anger controls them.
• Greatest fool who finds fault with others when they themselves has such faults

For the weak patience (or forgiveness) is quality; for the strong patience (or forgiveness) is an adornment (an ornament)

By doing two things, namely, not speaking harsh words and not flattering (or giving respect) to bad characters, one would shine in this world

Things to remember

• These five will follow you wherever you go meaning you will find them wherever you go – friends, enemies, those who are neutral, those on whom you depend and those who depend on you.
• One who desires to be prosperous and happy should give up these six faults , namely, excessive sleep, sluggishness, fear, anger, laziness and delay in decision-making.
• These six are to abandoned by a person like a broken vessel (boat or ship) in the sea – the achaarya who does not teach, the ritwik who does not repeat the vedas, the king who does not protect his subjects, the wife who always says unpleasant things, the cowherd who does not want to go out of the village ( grama) (for grazing the cattle) and the barber who wants to go out into the forest.
• These six qualities should never be abandoned - truthfulness, giving, not being lazy, not finding fault even in something good, forgiveness and determination or courage
• He who gains control on the six enemies who are ever present in a person,( namely kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (attachment), mada (arrogance), maatsyarya (jealousy)) and who has conquered his senses - sin will not touch that person, what to talk of misfortunes
• One who envies , one who hates, one who is not content, one who is always angry, one who is always suspicious and one who lives on the fortunes of others – these six are always sad